1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to railcars, more specifically, the present invention relates to railcar tub designs.
2. Prior Art
In railcars, it has long been known to provide additional storage below the center sill in a pair of cargo areas formed between a center sill and a side sill, generally referred to as tubs. Examples of these types of railroad car designs can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,361,097 and 5,216,958. These existing designs include a pair of tubs extending longitudinally along the center sill with an end cap arrangement on each respective end of the tub. A full semi-circle is commonly utilized for the tub cross-section to provide the necessary strength to the tub. Presently, the end caps are constructed from a plurality of separate, connected pieces. Additionally, each end cap must include drain holes built into the end cap to allow egress of excess moisture in the tub. With the provision of multiple drain holes, a plurality of drain hole covers are provided with separate fasteners for each cover. The existing tub designs do not maximize the storage capacity available in the tub configurations. The current tub designs, particularly the end caps, represent a relatively complex structure increasing assembly time and manufacturing costs.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a railcar with an improved tub design overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tub design with an improved cross-sectional configuration which is easy to manufacture and maintains the necessary structural integrity for the tub. A further object of the present invention is to provide a simplified tub closure at the respective ends of the tub.